Fah Thai Magazine - Inflight Magazine of Bangkok Airways Issue Jul-Aug 2023

OVERTURES
JUST DESSERT
Bitesized
Delights
Delicious crispy half dumplings with
a sweet gooey centre, these common
treats are uniquely addictive
Crisp bite-sized pancakes with a sweet and gooey
coconut core: there’s nothing quite like Thailand’s
Khanom Khrok. Served up by street vendors and
posh eateries alike, these delicious hot treats come
either naked or dimpled with crunchy corn or
(surprisingly) spring onions.
This delightful snack dates back to the
Ayutthaya era (14th-18th centuries) and is
depicted in old temple murals.
The basic ingredients are simple – rice flour,
coconut milk, sugar and salt. A thin mixture of
rice flour is first poured into the hot indented
griddle. When the flour begins to harden, coconut
milk is poured in to give the pancake its melt-
in-mouth centre. Once ready, the bite-sized
pancakes are lifted out with a zinc spoon and left
to cool for a minute or two before being popped
into the mouth. These plump half-moon treats
are sometimes sandwiched together to make a
heartier bite.
The best way to enjoy Khanom Khrok is
when it’s still warm – the combination of flour
and coconut bursting in a sweet-salty goo on
the tongue. But beware: that same gooey centre
can be molten when it’s fresh off the griddle.
Toppings can range from traditional spring onions,
corn and taro to gimmicky sweet potato, sweet
egg yolk strings (“foi thong”) and even mango with
sticky rice. One last word of caution: these crispy
half-dumplings can be highly addictive!
WORDS SARITA URUPONGSA
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